Swimming pool management system

• US 6,125,481 A
• Filed: 03/11/1999
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Edward N. Sicilano
• Original Assignee: Edward N. Sicilano
• Inventors: Sicilano, Edward N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN N
• Application Number:
  US09/267,017
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 4/496, 4/493, 4/541.2, 4/541.3, 4/507, 4/509, 210/169, 210/416.2, 210/143, 210/96.1, 210/85, 210/94, 210/90, 210/149, 210/739, 210/741, 210/742, 210/743
• US Class Current: 4/509
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/686 Devices for dosing liquid additives
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/76 with halogens or compounds of halogens C02F1/4674 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/42 from bathing facilities, e.g. swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/02 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/03 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/06 pH
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/29 Chlorine compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1209 Treatment of water for swimming pools filters B01D

Abstract

A swimming pool management system that is adapted for use with a dispenser connected to a pool for dispensing a substance into the pool upon the actuation thereof. The swimming pool management system includes a sensor positioned downstream of the dispenser for monitoring a level of the substance within the pool. A controller is connected to the dispenser and the sensor for actuating the dispenser only when certain conditions are met.

Claims

1. A pool monitoring and controlling system adapted for use with a pool including a body of water, a water pump, a first pipe connected between the body of water and the water pump, a second pipe connected between the water pump and the body of water, and a dispenser connected to one of the pipes of the pool for dispensing a substance into the pool upon the actuation thereof, wherein the water pump urges water between the pipes, the system comprising:

a sensor adapted for connecting to one of the pipes downstream of the dispenser for monitoring a level of the substance within the pool;

a controller adapted for connecting to the dispenser and the sensor for actuating the dispenser only when certain conditions are met;

wherein the controller is connected a first pressure sensor adapted for connecting to one of the pipes upstream of a filter for indicating a pressure of the water flowing thereby, the controller further connected to a second pressure sensor adapted for connecting to one of the pipes downstream of the filter for indicating a pressure of the water flowing thereby, wherein the controller is adapted for providing an indication upon a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure being greater than a predetermined pressure amount; and

wherein the controller, upon the difference between the first pressure and the second pressure being less than or equal to the predetermined pressure amount and the first pressure being equal to zero, further adapted to sample the current second pressure indicated by the second pressure sensor and calculate a mean pressure, wherein the controller is adapted to provide another indication if the mean pressure is below a limit.

2. The pool monitoring and controlling system as set forth in claim 1 and further including a display for depicting the level.

3. The pool monitoring and controlling system as set forth in claim 1 and further including a light for illuminating when the dispenser is actuated.

4. The pool monitoring and controlling system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said controller is adapted for connecting to a telephone for providing a remote indication upon the conditions being met.

5. The pool monitoring and controlling system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said controller is adapted for connecting to a facsimile for providing a remote indication upon the conditions being met.

6. The pool monitoring and controlling system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the substance is chlorine and the controller is adapted to provide a first indication and actuate the dispenser upon the current chlorine level being less than a predetermine chlorine amount, provide a second indication upon there being no change in the current chlorine level after the actuation of the dispenser thereby indicating that the dispenser is empty, and continuously calculating a product of a current flow rate, the current chlorine level and a predetermined constant, wherein the dispenser is deactuated upon the product being equal to a predetermined normal chlorine dosage amount.

7. The pool monitoring and controlling system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the substance is acidic and the controller is adapted to provide a first indication and actuate the dispenser upon the current acid level being less than a predetermine acid amount, provide a second indication upon there being no change in the current acid level after the actuation of the dispenser thereby indicating that the dispenser is empty, and continuously calculating a solution of an equation including a current flow rate, the current pH level and a predetermined constant, wherein the dispenser are deactuated upon the solution being equal to a predetermined normal alkaline/acid dosage amount.

8. The pool monitoring and controlling system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the dispenser is adapted for connecting to one of the pipes of the pool upstream of a heater.

9. The pool monitoring and controlling system as set forth in claim 1 further comprises:

a control panel including a top face, a bottom face, and a periphery formed therebetween for defining an interior space, the top face of the control panel including a liquid crystal display for depicting alphanumeric characters, a chlorine light for illuminating only upon the actuation thereof, a pH light for illuminating only upon the actuation thereof, a temperature light for illuminating only upon the actuation thereof, and a pressure light for illuminating only upon the actuation thereof, the control panel connected to a chlorine sensor connected to one of the pipes downstream of the chlorine dispenser for indicating a chlorine level of the water flowing thereby, a pH sensor connected to one of the pipes downstream of the alkaline/acid dispenser for indicating a pH of the water flowing thereby, a heater sensor connected to one of the pipes downstream of the heater for indicating a temperature of the water flowing thereby, and a flow sensor for indicating a rate of flow within the pipes; and

said controller positioned within the control panel and connected between the display, the pressure light, the first pressure sensor, the second pressure sensor, and the filter, the controller adapted to display a current first pressure indicated by the first pressure sensor, display a current second pressure indicated by the second pressure sensor, wherein the controller is adapted to intermittently actuate the pressure light and if the mean pressure is below a predetermined pressure difference;

said controller further connected between the display, the temperature light, the temperature sensor, and the heater, the controller adapted to display a current temperature indicated by the temperature sensor, continuously actuate the heater and the temperature light upon the current temperature being below a desired temperature amount, and intermittently actuate the temperature light upon a difference between the current temperature and the desired temperature amount being above a predetermined temperature amount;

said controller further connected between the display, the chlorine light, the chlorine sensor, the flow sensor, the chlorine dispenser, and the filter, the controller adapted to display a current chlorine level indicated by the chlorine sensor, continuously actuate the chlorine light and actuate the chlorine dispenser upon the current chlorine level being less than a predetermine chlorine amount, intermittently actuate the chlorine light upon there being no change in the current chlorine level after the actuation of the chlorine dispenser thereby indicating that the chlorine dispenser is empty, and continuously calculating a product of a current flow rate, the current chlorine level and a predetermined constant, wherein the chlorine dispenser is deactuated upon the product being equal to a predetermined normal chlorine dosage amount;

said controller further connected between the display, the pH light, the pH sensor, the flow sensor, and the alkaline/acid dispenser, the controller adapted to display a current pH level indicated by the pH sensor, continuously actuate the pH light and actuate the alkaline/acid dispenser upon the current pH level being less than a predetermine pH amount, intermittently actuate the pH light upon there being no change in the current pH level after the actuation of the alkaline/acid dispenser thereby indicating that the alkaline/acid dispenser is empty, and continuously calculating a solution of an equation including a current flow rate, the current pH level and a predetermined constant, wherein the alkaline/acid dispenser is deactuated upon the solution being equal to a predetermined normal alkaline/acid dosage amount;

said controller connected to a remote display, a telephone, and a printer for providing an indication upon actuation of at least one of the lights, dispensers, and heater of the system.

10. A pool monitoring and controlling system adapted for use with a pool including a body of water, a water pump, a first pipe connected between the body of water and the water pump, a second pipe connected between the water pump and the body of water, and a dispenser connected to one of the pipes of the pool for dispensing a substance into the pool upon the actuation thereof, wherein the water pump urges water between the pipes, the system comprising:

a sensor adapted for connecting to one of the pipes downstream of the dispenser for monitoring a level of the substance within the pool;

a controller adapted for connecting to the dispenser and the sensor for actuating the dispenser only when certain conditions are met; and

wherein the substance is chlorine and the controller is adapted to provide a first indication and actuate the dispenser upon the current chlorine level being less than a predetermine chlorine amount, provide a second indication upon there being no change in the current chlorine level after the actuation of the dispenser thereby indicating that the dispenser is empty, and continuously calculating a product of a current flow rate, the current chlorine level and a predetermined constant, wherein the dispenser is deactuated upon the product being equal to a predetermined normal chlorine dosage amount.

11. The pool monitoring and controlling system as set forth in claim 10 and further including a display for depicting the level.

12. The pool monitoring and controlling system as set forth in claim 10 and further including a light for illuminating when the dispenser is actuated.

13. The pool monitoring and controlling system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said controller is adapted for connecting to a telephone for providing a remote indication upon the conditions being met.

14. The pool monitoring and controlling system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said controller is adapted for connecting to a facsimile for providing a remote indication upon the conditions being met.

15. A pool monitoring and controlling system adapted for use with a pool including a body of water, a water pump, a first pipe connected between the body of water and the water pump, a second pipe connected between the water pump and the body of water, and a dispenser connected to one of the pipes of the pool for dispensing a substance into the pool upon the actuation thereof, wherein the water pump urges water between the pipes, the system comprising:

a sensor adapted for connecting to one of the pipes downstream of the dispenser for monitoring a level of the substance within the pool;

a controller adapted for connecting to the dispenser and the sensor for actuating the dispenser only when certain conditions are met; and

wherein the substance is acidic and the controller is adapted to provide a first indication and actuate the dispenser upon the current acid level being less than a predetermine acid amount, provide a second indication upon there being no change in the current acid level after the actuation of the dispenser thereby indicating that the dispenser is empty, and continuously calculating a solution of an equation including a current flow rate, the current pH level and a predetermined constant, wherein the dispenser are deactuated upon the solution being equal to a predetermined normal alkaline/acid dosage amount.